Aryan Brotherhood leader guilty of racketeering

An alleged general of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas gang (ABT) pleaded guilty May 10 to racketeering charges related to his membership in the ABT’s criminal enterprise, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson of the Southern District of Texas.

Charles Lee Roberts, aka “Jive,” 67, of Beaumont, Texas, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Sim Lake in the Southern District of Texas to one count of conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity, according to a press release from the Department of Justice.

According to court documents, Roberts and other ABT gang members and associates agreed to commit multiple acts of murder, robbery, arson, kidnapping, and narcotics trafficking on behalf of the ABT gang. Roberts and numerous ABT gang members met on a regular basis at various locations throughout Texas to report on gang-related business, collect dues, commit disciplinary assaults against fellow gang members, and discuss acts of violence against rival gang members, among other things.

By pleading guilty to racketeering charges, Roberts admitted to being a member of the ABT criminal enterprise.

According to the superseding indictment, the ABT was established in the early 1980s within the Texas prison system. The gang modeled itself after and adopted many of the precepts and writings of the Aryan Brotherhood, a California-based prison gang that was formed in the California prison system during the 1960s. According to the superseding indictment, previously, the ABT was primarily concerned with the protection of white inmates and white supremacy/separatism. Over time, the ABT expanded its criminal enterprise to include illegal activities for profit.

Court documents allege that the ABT enforced its rules and promoted discipline among its members, prospects, and associates through murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to murder, arson, assault, robbery, and threats against those who violate the rules or pose a threat to the enterprise. Members, and oftentimes associates, were required to follow the orders of higher-ranking members, often referred to as “direct orders.”

According to the superseding indictment, in order to be considered for ABT membership, a person must be sponsored by another gang member. Once sponsored, a prospective member must serve an unspecified term, during which he is referred to as a prospect, while his conduct is observed by the members of the ABT.

At sentencing, scheduled for September 26, 2013, Roberts faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Roberts is one of 35 defendants charged with conducting racketeering activity through the ABT criminal enterprise, among other charges. Ben Christian Dillon, 40, of Houston; James Marshall Meldrum, 40, of Dallas; Chad Ray Folmsbee, 30, of Houston; and Chrisopher Morris, 37, of Dallas, each previously pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy for their roles in the criminal enterprise.

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